Dry needling is one of the fastest ways to release the tight, knotted muscle tissue behind stubborn pain — and at Free Body Physical Therapy, it’s performed by fellowship-trained physical therapists as part of a complete one-on-one treatment plan. We offer dry needling at both of our Chicago clinics: Division Street in Wicker Park and our new Belmont Avenue location in Belmont Cragin.
What is Dry Needling?
Trigger point dry needling is a manual therapy technique that uses a thin needle to penetrate the skin in order to release trigger points in the muscle and connective tissue. The goal of dry needling is to release or inactivate trigger points in the muscle to relieve pain or improve range of motion.
What are Trigger Points?
A trigger point is an area in a muscle that may result in muscular restriction or cause pain. Many refer to them as “muscle knots.” Touching a trigger point may cause pain in other areas of the body, which is called referred pain.
What Dry Needling Treats
Dry needling is most effective for pain that starts in the muscles — the kind that massage helps for a day and stretching never quite reaches. Our therapists use it as part of treatment for neck pain and tension headaches, jaw pain from TMJ dysfunction, and sports injuries and overuse strains.
Not everyone is a candidate — patients on blood thinners or managing conditions like diabetes, vascular disease, or lymphedema are screened first. Your therapist confirms whether dry needling belongs in your plan during your evaluation.
What to Expect
The needles used during dry needling are very fine and solid. Only one needle is used at a time, and it is painlessly inserted by the therapist. During the procedure, the needle is moved around in the muscle tissue using a “pistoning” technique to locate and release the trigger points. The sensation reported by patients varies greatly, but you may expect to feel aching, cramping, muscle twitching, reproduction of pain in referred areas, among other sensations. The needles only stay in long enough to relax the muscle.
After treatment, you will likely feel sore and the muscle group that was treated will feel fatigued. Within a period of a few hours to a day, you will feel less pain and tightness in the muscles.
Dry Needling at Both Chicago Locations
Every dry needling session at Free Body is one-on-one with your physical therapist for a full 45 minutes — the needling is combined with manual therapy and corrective exercise in the same visit, which is what makes the relief last. Book at our Division Street clinic serving Wicker Park, Humboldt Park, and Ukrainian Village, or our Belmont Avenue clinic serving Belmont Cragin and Portage Park.
Division Street — Wicker Park
2618 W Division St Ste B, Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 599-3393
Belmont Ave — Belmont Cragin
6121 W Belmont Ave, Chicago, IL 60634
(773) 482-3300
Frequently Asked Questions
Is dry needling the same as acupuncture?
No. They use similar thin needles, but dry needling is a modern technique targeting specific muscle trigger points found during a physical exam, while acupuncture places needles along traditional meridian points.
Does dry needling hurt?
Insertion is usually painless. You may feel a brief ache, cramp, or muscle twitch at the trigger point — that twitch is a sign it’s working. Mild soreness afterward typically fades within a day.
How many sessions will I need?
Many patients feel relief after one session; the total depends on how many trigger points are involved and how long you’ve had symptoms. You’ll get a personalized plan at your evaluation.
Do I need a referral for dry needling in Illinois?
Most patients don’t — Illinois is a direct access state. Medicare has physician-involvement requirements, so Medicare patients should call us first and we’ll walk you through it.
Ready to Release That Knot?
Book a one-on-one evaluation at either Chicago location and find out whether dry needling belongs in your treatment plan.
